Collapsible seats, stands or the like



Nov. 30, 1965 A. J. DOWNES 3,220,362

COLLAPSIBLE SEATS, STANDS OR THE LIKE Filed June 5. 1964 F0 LD ED SEAT 21 0 ii, 16 25/ INVENTOR. Am /1on4 1T. :Dm/vnes BY United States PatentC) 3,220,362 COLLAPSIBLE SEATS, STANDS OR THE LIKE Anthony J. Downes,2627 4 Ellendale Place, Los Angeles, Calif. Filed June 5, 1964, Ser. No.372,808 Claims. (Cl. 108-112) This invention relates to novel articlesof manufacture and is directed to novel collapsible seats, stands or thelike.

An object or" this invention is to provide novel seats, stands or thelike which may be easily and readily pro duced at low cost, and areeasily and readily collapsible to form compact units which may be storedin small space.

A further object of the present invention is to provide collapsibleseats, stands or the like, which are light-weight and cheap and thereforare economically disposable or after intial use may be stored for reuseand in collapsed condition are very compact whereby only a small amountof space is required for storage.

These and other objects of this invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of an embodiment of this invention whenin collapsed condition.

FIG. 2 is a view in perspective of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, butwith the article of manufacture being in condition for use.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the article of manufacture shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the collapsed article of manufacture shownin FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a blank from which the embodiment of theinvention shown in FIGS. 1-4 may be formed or produced and also showstwo strips of adhesive tape coupled therewith.

The illustrative embodiment of the invention, in the position of use, asshown in FIGS. 2 and 3 comprises a first pair of like verticalapproximately rectangular panels and 11, a second pair of like verticalapproximately rectangular panels and 21, and a pair of likeapproximately triangular top panels and 31.

The panel 10 has a horizontal bottom end or edge 12, a

pair of parallel vertical ends or edges 13 and 14 and a horizontal upperend or edge 15; and the panel 11 has a bottom horizontal end or edge 16,a pair of parallel vertical ends or edges 17 and 18 and a horizontalupper end or edge 19. The panels 10 and 11 are disposed in divergingrelationship and at an acute angle with respect to each other, with thecorresponding vertical ends 13 and 17 thereof being located near eachother and hinged together by any desirable hinging means, which in thisinstance is a narrow strip or panel-hinge whereby said panels 10 and 11are swingable towards each other to the collapsed position shown inFIGS. 1 and 4. The panel 20 has a horizontal bottom end or edge 22, aninner vertical end or edge 23, an outer vertical end or edge 24 and ahorizontal top end or edge 25; and the panel 21 has a bottom end or edge26, an inner vertical end or edge 27, an outer vertical end or edge 28and a horizontal top end or edge 29. The ends or edges 25 and 29 and/orends or edges 15 and 19 may be straight as shown or they may be slightlyconcave. The widthwise dimension of each of the panels 20 and 21 ismaterially and significantly less than the corresponding dimension ofeach of the panels 10 and 11.

The panels 20 and 21, like panels 10 and 11 are disposed in divergingrelationship with respect to each other, with the angle of divergencetherebetween being greater than that between the panels 10 and 11. Withsaid panels 20 and 21 so disposed the inner verticals ends 23 and 27 ofpanels 20 and 21 are disposed within the space between the panels 10 and11 and are hingedly coupled together by a hinging means, such as aflexible strip 46 adhesively secured thereto. The outer vertical ends 24and 28 of panels 20 and 21 are hingedly connected to the vertical ends14 and 18 respectively of panels 10 and 11 with any convenient hingingmeans, such as strips 47 and 48 of flexible material adhesively securedthereto. In this construction, the panels 20 and 21 are swingable aboutthe hinging means 46 and about the hinging means 47 and 48 to swing saiddiverging panels 20 and 21 towards each other to collapsed position. Asshown in FIGS 2 and 3, the internal angle of divergence between thepanels 20 and 21 is materially less than 180 and is appreciable greaterthan that of the panels 10 and 11; and the panels 20 and 21 extendinwardly a considerable distance into the space between the panels 10and 11.

The top panel 30 has an outer end 32 of approximately the same length asthe horizontal end 15 of panel 10 and an inner side end 33 at an acuteangle, as shown 30, to end 32 and a rear end 34 which may be at to theend 33; and the top panel 31 has an outer end or edge 35, an inner end36, as shown at 30, to end 35 and a rear end 37 which may be at 90 tothe end 36. The most acute corner of each of the triangular panels 30and 31 are cut away as shown in FIG. 5. The outer end 32 of panel 30 issupported by and hingedly secured to the horizontal upper end 15 of thepanel 10 by a hinging means such as a strip 49 of flexible materialadhesively secured thereto; and the outer end 35 of panel 31 issupported by and hingedly secured to the upper end 19 of the panel 11 bya hinging means, such as a strip 50 of flexible material adhesivelysecured thereto. The top panels 30 and 31 extend outwardly beyond theupper ends 25 and 29 of the panels 20 and 21 and are disposed onealongside the other, with the inner ends 33 and 36 thereof being neareach other and located in the space between said panels 10 and 11. Thesepanels 30 and 31 are supported by both pairs of panels 10-11 and 20-21and are hingedly connected together at the inner ends 33 and 36 thereofby a flexible strip 51 adhesively secured thereto. As shown in FIGS. 2and 3, said top panels 30 and 31 are dimensionally approximately alike,are approximately horizontally disposed, are connected to each other andto the approximately dimensionally alike panels 10 and 11 and are ofsuch widthwise dimensions as to prevent approximately dimensionallyalike panels 20 and 21 from moving outwardly beyond the space betweenpanels 10 and 11 and to limit the maximum internal angle of divergencebetween panels 20 and 21 to materially less than The aforedescribedarticle of manufacture, in condition of use, may be easily and readilycollapsed into a compact item, shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. For that purpose,the user merely need press together with the fingers of only one handthe panels 10 and 11 whereupon the following will simultaneously occur:the panels 10 and 11 will swing to collapsed position, the panels 20 and21 will swing to collapsed position in the space between the panels 10and 11 in such position and the panels 30 and 31 will swing upwardlyinto collapsed position where they will be located outside of thatspace.

The novel article shown in FIG. 4 may be easily transported and/orstored for future use. When it is to be re-used, the article incollapsed condition is merely placed on a supporting surface and thenthe panels 30 and 31 are pushed down by one hand to horizontal positionwhereupon the panels 10 and 11 and panels 20 and 21 will simultaneouslybe swung outwardly away from each other to the positions shown in FIGS.2 and 3.

In the foregoing embodiment of the invention, all of the panels 10, 11,20, 21, 30 and 31 may be separate individual elements which may .becomposed of any appropriate material of the requisite strength andrigidity. However, I prefer that all of these panels be of commerciallyavailable and cheap, rugged and study corrugated cardboard. Thecardboard consists of a pair of facing sheets of newsboard or heavyKraft paper adhesively secured to a sturdy corrugated paper boardtherebetween thus presenting a sandwich effect. Such corrugatedcardboard is so well known that further description or any illustrationsthereof are obviously superfluous. All of said panels may be coated witha very thin protective coating or film which may be of any desired coloror colors to make the article more durable and attractive in appearanceand/ or may have imprinted or otherwise applied thereto advertising orother type written matter.

Instead of having the article of manufacture made up of separate panelswhich are individually combined to provide the article shown in FIGS.1-4, said novel article may be made from a single flat sheet or blank ofcardboard having the configuration shown in FIG. 5. The cardboard sheetshown in FIG. 5 consists of a rectangular body having the approximatelytriangular panels 30 and 31 extending therefrom at about the mid-lengththereof. The inner facing of blank is slit or scored along the verticaldoted lines and the horizontal lines shown in FIG. 5. The resultingblank now consists of the panels 10, 11, 21), 30, 31 and 40 which areintegral with each other and are bendable along said slit-lines and arehingedly connected to each other thereat. If desired the two slit-lineswhich are close to each other at the midlength of the body position ofblank 10 may be substituted by a singular slit-line at mid-length.However, I prefer that the body have the two central slit-lines as shownso that a narrow panel 40 is provided which makes for having a morecompact article of manufacture when in collapsed condition. As shown inFIG. 5, at the slitlines the outer panels 20 and 21 are folded or bentover the inner panels 10 and 11. Then panels 10 and 11 are bent orfolded over each other with the panels 20 and 21 therebetween and thepanels 30 and 31 will be disposed facing each other with theircorresponding edges close to each other. At this stage, strips of wovenglass, cloth or paper, like strip 46 and others are adhesively securedto the hinged ends of these panels to act as a hinging reinforcementtherefor. The inner ends 23 and 27 of panels 20 and 21 are hingedlyconnected together by applying such a strip 46 thereto. Then the strip51 is applied to the inner ends 33 and 36 of panels 30 and 31 which arelocated close to each other to hingedly connect them together. As shownin FIG. 5, the strips 46 and 51 coated on one side with a pressuresensitive adhesive are applied to the blank before bending or folding.

These novel articles of manufacture when in position for use willsupport on the support panels 30 and 31 a person weighing 150 pounds ormore seated thereon because the panels 10-11, 20-21 and 30-31 are ofsuch sturdy corrugated cardboard or other material as to hold suchperson or object without collapsing. The lengthwise dimensions of thepanels is such that a normal adult person may be comfortably seated onthe article as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 or it may be of lesser dimensionsfor the comfortable seating of children. Consequently the articles ofmanufacture of this invention find use by children as collapsible seatsfor watching television, for example, as well as use by adults. Inaddition, it finds use as a stand in picnicking, etc. While the ends 35and 36 and the ends 32 and 33 are shown in the illustration as being atabout 30 to each other, it is to be understood that this is not given byway of limitation. Such angularity therebetween may vary over a widerange and may be any acute angle of say in the range of about 2060 formost uses. Also while the width of the narrow hinging panel 40 as shownis approximately equal to or a little greater than the thickness ofpanels 20 and 21 when in collapsed condition, I prefer that the width ofpanel 40 be about 1-10 times and preferably about 1-4 the combinedthickness of the panels 20 and 21.

While the invention has been described in detail, it is not to belimited to the exact construction shown, because various changes andmodifications may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

I claim:

1. A unitary collapsible seat, stand or the like, in position of usebeing capable of supporting a person weighing pounds when seated thereonand comprising a first pair of upright panels disposed in divergingrelationship and hingedly connected to each other at two correspondingvertical ends thereof whereby they are swingable laterally towards eachother to reduce the extent of diver gence therebetween and to disposethem in collapsed position, a second pair of upright panels disposed indiverging relationship and extending inwardly a material dis tance intothe space between said first pair of panels, with the internal angle ofdivergence between said second pair of panels being materially less thanand greater than that of said first pair, the width of each panel ofsaid sec ond pair being less than the width of each panel of said firstpair, said second pair of panels hingedly connected to each other atcorresponding vertical end-s thereof disposed near each other andlocated in the space between said first pair of panels and hingedlyconnected to said first pair of panels at the other vertical endsthereof and the other vertical ends of said first pair of panels, whereby said second pair of panels are swingable towards each other tocollapsed position within the space between said first pair of panelsupon swinging of the latter pair to-- wards each other to collapsedposition, and a pair of top panels together being a support supported bysaid two pairs of upright panels, said top panels being approxi matelyhorizontally disposed, connected to each other and to said first pair ofpanels, and of such widthwise dimensions as to prevent said second pairof panels from moving outwardly beyond the space between said first pairof panels and to limit the maximum internal angle of divergence betweensaid second pair of panels to materially less than 180, said top panelshingedly connected to each other at a pair of corresponding inner endsthereof, the corresponding outer ends of said top panels being indiverging relationship with respect to each other, said top panels atsaid outer diverging ends being hingedly connected to the horizontalends of said first pair of panels, whereby said top panels are swingabletowards each other to collapsed position in space outside of the spacebetween said first pair of panels when in collapsed condition, saidfirst and second pairs of panels automatically swinging to saidcollapsed positions thereof simultaneously with and upon swinging saidtop panels to said collapsed position thereof, thereby to provide acompact, carriable unit adaptable to be converted to said position ofuse by swinging said top panels downwardly towards the normally upperends of said first and second pair of panels thereby to cause said firstand second pairs of panels to be swung outwardly and thereby disposethem as hereinbefore defined when said unit is in position of use.

2. A unitary collapsible seat, stand or the like as defined in claim 1,being of light weight, when in collapsed condition being compact andcapable of being carried by one hand, each of said panels beingcardboard.

3. A unitary collapsible seat, stand or the like comprising anarrow-upright panel, a first pair of relatively wide upright panelshingedly connected at the corresponding vertical ends thereof to saidnarrow-upright panel and extending therefrom in diverging relationshipwith respect to each other, said pair of panels being swingable towardseach other to dispose them in col lapsed position, a second pair ofpanels, the width of each of said second pair of panels beingappreciably less than the width of each of said first pair of panels,said second pair of panels disposed in diverging rela tionship, with theinternal angle of divergence therebetween being appreciably materiallyless than 180 and greater than that of said first pair of panels, saidsecond pair of panels hingedly connected to each other at correspondingvertical ends thereof located in space between said first pair of panelsand hingedly connected to said first pair of panels and the otherVertical ends of said second pair of panels, said second pair of panelsextending a material distance inwardly into the space between said firstpair of panels, whereby said second pair of panels are swingable towardseach other to collapsed position within the space between said firstpair of panels upon swinging of the latter to collapsed position, and apair of top panels supported by said two pairs of panels, said toppanels being approximately horizontally disposed, connected to eachother and to said first pair of panels, and of such widthwise dimensionsas to prevent said second pair of panels from moving outwardly beyondthe space between said first pair of panels and to limit the maximuminternal angle of divergence between said second pair of panels tomaterially less than 180, the corresponding outer ends of said toppanels being in diverging relationship, said top panels at saiddiverging outer ends being hingedly connected to said first pair ofpanels at the horizontal ends of said first pair of panels, thecorresponding inner ends of said top panels being alongside each otherand being hingedly connected to each other at said inner ends, said toppanels automatically swinging towards each other to collapsed positionoutside of the space between said first pair of panels and said secondpair of panels also automatically swinging to collapsed position betweensaid first pair of panels simultaneously with and upon swinging of saidfirst pair of panels to collapsed position thereby to provide a compact,carriable unit adapted to be converted to said position of use byswinging said top panels downwardly to the normally upper ends of saidsecond pair of panels thereby simultaneously to cause said panels ofsaid first pair to be swung outwardly and the panels of said second pairto be swung outwardly and thereby dispose them as hereinbefore definedwhen said unit is in position of use.

4. A unitary collapsible seat, stand or the like, in position of usebeing capable of supporting a person weighing 150 pounds when seatedthereon and comprising a first pair of upright panels, correspondingvertical ends thereof disposed near each other, means hingedlyconnecting said panels to each other at said vertical ends, said panelsextending from said ends in diverging relationship to each other, saidpanels being swingable towards each other about said means to collapsedcondition, a second pair of upright panels, the width of each of saidsecond pair of panels being less than the width of each of said firstpair of panels, a pair of cor-responding vertical ends of said secondpair located in space between said first pair of panels, means hingedlyconnecting said second pair of panels to each other at said verticalends, said second pair of panels extending from said vertical endsthereof in diverging relationship to each other, with the internal angleof divergence therebetween being materially less than 180 and greaterthan that between said first pair of panels, means hingedly connectingsaid second pair of panels at the other corresponding vertical endsthereof to said first pair of panels at the other corresponding verticalends thereof, said second pair of panels extending inwardly a materialdistance into the space between said first pair of panels, and a pair oftop panels, said top panel-s being approximately horizontally disposed,connected to each other and to said first pair of panels, and of suchwidthwise dimensions as to prevent said second pair of panels frommoving outwardly beyond the space between said first pair of panels andto limit the maximum internal angle of divergence between said secondpair of panels to materially less than 180, the outer end of each ofsaid top panels being at an acute angle to the inner end thereof, andmeans hingedly connecting said top panels at the outer ends thereof tosaid first pair of panels at the horizontal ends thereof, said toppanels disposed alongside of each other and supported by said two pairsof panels, the inner ends of said top panels disposed near each otherand means hingedly connecting said top panels at the inner ends thereof,said second pair of panels automatically swinging towards each other tocollapsed position between said first pair of panels and said top panelsautomatically swinging towards each other to collapsed position outsideof the space between said first pair of panels simultaneously with andupon swinging of said first pair of panels towards each other tocollapsed position thereby to provide a compact carriable unit whosewidthwise dimension is approximately that of one of said first pair ofpanels, said compact unit adapted to be converted to said position ofuse by swinging said top panels downwardly to the normally upper ends ofsaid second pair of panels thereby simultaneously to cause the panels ofsaid first pair and those of said second pair to be swung outwardly andthereby to dispose them as hereinbefore defined when said unit is inposition of use.

5. A unitary collapsible seat, stand or the like comprising a first pairof approximately rectangular and approximately dimensionally alikeupright panels disposed in diverging relationship and hingedly connectedtogether at one of the corresponding ends thereof whereby they areswingable laterally towards each other to reduce the extent ofdivergence therebetween thereby to dispose them in collapsed position, asecond pair of approximately rectangular and approximately dimensionallyalike upright panels, the width of each of said second pair of panelsbeing appreciably less than the width of each of said first pair ofpanels, said second pair of panels disposed in diverging relationship,with the internal angle of divergence therebetween being appreciablymaterially less than and greater than that between said first pair ofpanels, said second pair of panels hingedly connected to each other atcorresponding vertical ends thereof located in space between said firstpair of panels and at the other vertical ends thereof being hingedlyconnected to said first pair of panels at the other vertical ends ofsaid first pair of panels, said second pair of panels extending inwardlya material distance into the space between said first pair of panels anda pair of approximately triangular top panels being dimensionallyapproximately alike, approximately horizontally disposed, connected toeach other and to said first pair of panels, and of such widthwisedimensions as to prevent said second pair of panels from movingoutwardly beyond the space between said first pair of panels and tolimit the maximum internal angle of divergence between said second pairof panels to materially less than 180, said top panels being supportedby said two pairs of upright panels and together forming a support anddisposed one alongside the other, with the corresponding inner endsthereof disposed near each other and being hingedly connected together,the corresponding outer ends thereof being in diverging relationship andhingedly connected to the horizontal upper ends of said first pair ofpanels whereby when said first pair of panels are swung towards eachother to collapsed position, they will simultaneously cause said secondpair of panels to be swung towards each other to collapsed position inthe space between said first pair of panels in collapsed position andsaid top panels to be swung towards each other in collapsed positionoutside of said space between said first pair of panels in collapsedposition thereby to provide a compact carriable unit whose widthwisedimension is approximately that of one of said first pair of panels,said compact unit adapted to be converted to said position of use byswinging said top panels downwardly to the normally upper ends of saidsecond pair of panels thereby simultaneously to cause the panels of saidfirst pair and those of said second 7 pair to be swung outwardly andthereby to dispose them as hereinbefore defined when said unit is inposition of use.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 641,500 1/1900Davidson 22922 648,008 4/ 1900 Wellman 22918 1,455,569 5/1923 Caminoni108-112 1,811,674 6/1931 Longiey 108112 FRANK B. SHERRY,

Mather 108115 Bowman 108115 Calabrese 108--115 Frankenstein 229-22Sanchez 108-112 Lizan 108-115 Primary Examiner.

1. A UNITARY COLLAPSIBLE SEAT, STAND OR THE LIKE, IN POSITION OF THE USEBEING CAPABLE OF SUPPORTING A PERSON WEIGHING 150 POUNDS WHEN SEATEDTHEREON AND COMPRISING A FIRST PAIR OF UPRIGHT PANELS DISPOSED INDIVERGING RELATIONSHIP AND HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO EACH OTHER AT TWOCORRESPONDING VERTICAL ENDS THEREOF WHEREBY THEY ARE SWINGABLE LATERALLYTOWARDS EACH OTHER TO REDUCE THE EXTENT OF DIVERGENCE THEREBETWEEN ANDTO DISPOSE THEM IN COLLAPSED POSITION, A SECOND PAIR OF UPRIGHT PANELSDISPOSED IN DIVERGING RELATIONSHIP AND EXTENDING INWARDLY A MATERIALDISTANCE INTO THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID FIRST PAIR OF PANELS, WITH THEINTERNAL ANGLE OF DIVERGENCE BETWEEN SAID SECOND PAIR OF PANELS BEINGMATERIALLY LESS THAN 180* AND GREATER THAN THAT OF SAID FIRST PAIR, THEWIDTH OF EACH PANEL OF SAID SECONE PAIR BEING LESS THAN THE WIDTH OFEACH PANEL OF SAID FIRST PAIR, SAID SECOND PAIR PANELS HIGEDLY CONNECTEDTO EACH OTHER AT CORRESPONDING VERTICAL ENDS THEREOF DISPOSED NEAR EACHOTHER AND LOCATED IN THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID FIRST PAIR OF PANELS ANDHINGEDLY CONNECTED TO SAID FIRST PAIR OF PANELS AT THE OTHER VERTICALENDS THEREOF AND THE OTHER VERTICAL ENDS OF SAID FIRST PAIR OF PANELS,WHEREBY SAID SECOND PAIR OF PANELS ARE SWINGABLE TOWARDS EACH OTHER TOCOLLAPSED POSITION WITHIN THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID FIRST PAIR OF PANELSUPON SWINGING OF THE LATTER PAIR TOWARDS EACH OTHER TO COLLAPSEDPOSITION, AND A PAIR OF TOP PANELS TOGETHER BEING A SUPPORT SUPPORTED BYSAID TWO PAIRS OF UPRIGHT PANELS, SAID TOP PANELS BEING APPROXIMATELYHORIZONTALLY DISPOSED, CONNECTED TO EACH OTHER AND TO SAID FIRST PAIR OFPANELS, AND OF SUCH WIDTHWISE DIMENSIONS AS TO PREVENT SAID SECOND PAIROF PANELS FROM MOVING OUTWARDLY BEYOND THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID FIRST PAIROF PANELS AND TO LIMIT THE MAXIMUM INTERNAL ANGLE OF DIVERGENCE BETWEENSAID SECOND PAIR OF PANELS TO MATERIALLY LESS THAN 180*, SAID TOP PANELSHINGEDLY CONNECTED TO EACH OTHER AT A PAIR OF CORRESPONDING INNER ENDSTHEREOF, THE CORRESPONDING OUTER ENDS OF SAID TOP PANELS BEING INDIVERGING RELATIONSHIP WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER, SAID TOP PANELS ATSAID OUTER DIVERGING ENDS BEING HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO THE HORIZONTALENDS OF SAID FIRST PAIR OF PANELS, WHEREBY SAID TOP PANELS ARE SWINGABLETOWARDS EACH OTHER TO COLLAPSED POSITION IN SPACE OUTSIDE OF THE SPACEBETWEEN SAID FIRST PAIR OF PANELS WHEN IN COLLAPSED CONDITION, SAIDFIRST AND SECOND PAIRS OF PANELS AUTOMATICALLY SWINGING TO SAIDCOLLAPSED POSITIONS THEREOF SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH AND UPON SWINGING SAIDTOP PANELS TO SAID COLLAPSED POSITION THEREOF, THEREBY TO PROVIDE ACOMPACT, CARRIABLE UNIT ADAPTABLE TO BE CONVERTED TO SAID POSITION OFUSE BY SWINGING SAID TOP PANELS DOWNWARDLY TOWARDS THE NORMALLY UPPERENDS OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND PAIR OF PANELS THEREBY TO CAUSE SAID FIRSTAND SECOND PAIRS OF PANELS TO BE SWUNG OUTWARDLY AND THEREBY DISPOSETHEM AS HEREINBEFORE DEFINED WHEN SAID UNIT IS POSITION OF USE.